Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid, centre, speaks at his first news conference in Kabul, Afghanistan. The White House said 13 flights Tuesday airlifted 1,100 US citizens, permanent residents and their families from the Kabul airport, adding that the pace was expected to pick up Wednesday and through the week. White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said the Taliban have agreed to allow "safe passage" from Afghanistan for civilians. Biden called the anguish of trapped Afghan civilians "gut-wrenching" and conceded the Taliban had achieved a much faster takeover of the country than his administration had expected. The US rushed in troops to protect its own evacuating diplomats and others at the Kabul airport.

Source: New Zealand Herald August 18, 2021 03:56 UTC